The Orissa government is in the process of changing the port limit of the proposed all weather port at Astaranga in Puri district.
A proposal has been sent by the state commerce and transport department to the law and finance department in this regard.
The required notification will be issued by the government after vetting of the proposal by these two departments, sources said.
It follows the submission of the techno-feasibility study report by the Hyderabad based Navayuga Engineering Company Limited (NECL) for the port project.
The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government for setting up of a port at Astaranga in December 2008.
The proposed port will be implemented in phases with the total investment projected to be Rs 6000 crore. It will have a cargo handling capacity of 25 million tonne in the first phase to be raised to 60 million tonne after the completion of the third and the final phase.
The company will operate the port on Build-Own-Operate-Share and Transfer (BOOST) basis for a period of 34 years including 4 years required for completion of the first phase construction. NECL may get a moratorium of 5 years after which it will share revenue with the state government.
The state government is in the process of appointing a consultant to prepare the draft concession agreement to be signed with the company, sources added.
Meanwhile, the company has started the preliminary work like gathering geo-morphological data, commissioning environmental impact assessment (EIA) study, obtaining permission on rail connectivity to the port site, filing land schedule and preparation of rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) plan among others.
In the first phase, the port will have two coal berths, one iron and steel berth and one multi-purpose berth along with one stack yard for minerals and commodities.
Two additional berths for coal and POL or LNG along with one container terminal is proposed to be added during the second phase. Similarly, one container terminal, one iron and steel berth and one general cargo berth will be added in the third and the final phase.
The company has sought 5000 acres of land and strengthening of the existing access road from Astaranga to Pipili, as support from the Orissa government.
